First results of survey show women are forced to chose between family and work.

Project 28-40, a research project  which aims to find out why women in their 30s fail to progress in their careers at the same rate as men, has released its first results.

Since November, 25,000 women and men have responded to an online survey aimed at learning more about women’s aspirations, the importance of role models, the usefulness of current career development opportunities and why women leave the workplace.

This, the organisers say, is the largest ever survey of women in the workplace to have been carried out in the UK. The idea is to listen to what women have to say and then take action to change the status quo.

The survey and analysis is being undertaken by Opportunity Now, a campaign run by Business in the Community to encourage better gender balance in leadership, a more flexible culture and unbiased recognition and reward  for all in the workplace. Opportunity Now is also one of the prime movers behind the Women on Boards campaign.

This project is focusing on women aged 28-40 because that is seen as the danger zone where the careers of men and women start to diverge and the pay gap starts to increase, Opportunity Now’s director Kathryn Mawrockyi explained.

The first 10,000 responses have already been analysed – and initial results show that over 80 per cent of female respondents feel having children will affect their career progression.

Nearly 70 per cent believed that society expects women to put children before their careers, while two thirds believe work needed to be their number one priority if they wanted to succeed.

Over seven in ten felt conflicted to balance home and work and more than six out of ten felt under pressure to exceed in work and in the home.

Over 90 per cent believed that senior roles involved stress, long hours, pressure and high stress levels, while four out of five respondents believed that top businesswomen were portrayed as superwomen by the media.

Only 34 per cent believed that opportunities to progress are equal between women who have children and those who do not, and over 60 per cent believe flexible working still means working long hours.

However, nearly nine in every ten respondents believed that being a working mother enabled them to be a good role model to their children, provided balance in their lives and enabled them to provide a good life for their family.

In-depth analysis of the survey findings will continue until April. As part of this, between 11 and 28 February ten focus groups containing 8-10 participants will take place  in London, Leeds, Glasgow and Bristol, to explore the emerging themes of the survey in more detail.